There had been a significant dip in the number of these cases following the 2008 financial crisis, but the numbers rose from 14,690 in 2013 to 29,060 in 2014, making an eight-fold rise in three years.
Rising asset values, such as property, may have partly motivated more divorced people to seek a better deal from their former spouse.
As Emma Kendal comments, "At Garratts solicitors our Family lawyers always encourage a negotiated settlement rather than launching into costly court cases but sometimes there is no alternative. Cases are still arising where the family home has been held in only one spouse's name and the other spouse has agreed not to make any claim against it, despite incurring obvious financial difficulties for themselves."
The high-profile case in which Kathleen Wyatt won the right to seek money from her ex-husband Dale Vince, founder of green energy giant Ecotricity, 30 years after their divorce, also encouraged more people to return to pursue payouts. "Unless the court has made an Order the door is always left open for divorced people to return and claim their fair settlement" says Emma. "We are always available to help people tie up any loose ends to finalise these important issues."
